Did you learn anything from your grandmother that she learned from her grandmother?

[Cat]

When I was visiting my parents a couple of weeks ago, I was talking to my grandmother about gardening and she mentioned how much she wished she had paid attention to her grandmother (who was Cherokee) growing and gathering herbs for medicinal reasons. It made me think about the reach through the generations that information can have (but often doesn't).

It also made me think of how often now we learn things from books or group classes rather than from specific individuals. In my family, the men seem to pass things on more than the women (fishing, hunting, building things.....).

I don't particularly know where I'm going with this, except that it made me think and I was curious about other people's experiences.

The grandmother that I was taking to (both of mine are still alive) taught me to quilt (and to sew and knit and crotchet); the other taught me to draw, and paint, and play the piano.

-Cat

[elizabeth]

to sit quietly, and to appreciate poetry.

I may have learned embroidery from my grandmother as well, but I don't remember if it was her or my mom that actually taught me the stitches, and I don't know if my grandmother learned it from her grandmother.

My father's mother taught me how to set a table.

[indigo]

When I was visiting my parents a couple of weeks ago, I was talking to my grandmother about gardening and she mentioned how much she wished she had paid attention to her grandmother (who was Cherokee) growing and gathering herbs for medicinal reasons. It made me think about the reach through the generations that information can have (but often doesn't).

It also made me think of how often now we learn things from books or group classes rather than from specific individuals. In my family, the men seem to pass things on more than the women (fishing, hunting, building things.....).

I don't particularly know where I'm going with this, except that it made me think and I was curious about other people's experiences.

The grandmother that I was taking to (both of mine are still alive) taught me to quilt (and to sew and knit and crotchet); the other taught me to draw, and paint, and play the piano.

-Cat


No, neither grandmother was alive when I was born.

[Brenda]

When I was visiting my parents a couple of weeks ago, I was talking to my grandmother about gardening and she mentioned how much she wished she had paid attention to her grandmother (who was Cherokee) growing and gathering herbs for medicinal reasons. It made me think about the reach through the generations that information can have (but often doesn't).

It also made me think of how often now we learn things from books or group classes rather than from specific individuals. In my family, the men seem to pass things on more than the women (fishing, hunting, building things.....).

I don't particularly know where I'm going with this, except that it made me think and I was curious about other people's experiences.

The grandmother that I was taking to (both of mine are still alive) taught me to quilt (and to sew and knit and crotchet); the other taught me to draw, and paint, and play the piano.

-Cat


My mother's mother tried to teach me crochet, but I was a failure at that. She did teach me how to make pie for the first time I did that, and I make her pickled beets which I assume was learned from her maternal lineage.

I do have a recipe from my father's mother for a family fudge recipe, but that one came over from Germany with my paternal grandfather's grandmother, not my paternal grandmother's family.

I wish I had learned more from my grandmothers. I would love to be able to sit down with them for even just a few hours and glean some of their gardening and kitchen wisdom. I miss them.

[Bickery]

I don't know -- I never heard my grandmother say anything about her grandmother.

[lunita]

No. My grandmothers were both daughters of immigrants and they never knew their own grandmothers. nt

[Mumbly]

I barely remember my grandmother but my kids have learned a lot from all of their grandparents. I can't recall any particular thing at the moment, but they've spent so much time with all three of their grandparents they're bound to have learned quite a bit.

[Kathy]

My grandma taught me to knit, something her grandma taught her as well :-).

[Kari]

I don't particularly know where I'm going with this, except that it made me think and I was curious about other people's experiences.


I learned to knit from my grandmother when I was young - maybe third or fourth grade? One thing I really regret is getting rid of her mother's hand-knit shawl when I was cleaning out my grandmother's house. It was not a lovely piece of work - black wool done in garter stitch with uneven gauge and ugly pink stripes at the ends. BUT, it was probably close to one hundred years old truly a piece of our family history.

One thing that's kind of unique is that my grandfather's grandfather lived to be 97 years old, and died in 1939. My grandfather also lived to be 97 years old, dying in 2001. All the years I visited my grandfather he would tell me stories about *his* grandfather - things his grandfather had said, etc. It sometimes strikes me that I was hearing firsthand conversations that had taken place with a man who was born in 1842. :spinning:

[Pensive]

No, I am one of 39 grandchildren on my Mom's side so I didn't have 1:1 time with my grandmother. We did see her every week, because she'd come to our house for Sunday dinner. And we went to her apartment too. My mother spent a lot of time caring for her, as did one of my other aunts. So, I saw her a lot and I have lots of fond memories of her. But she didn't teach me anything. I mostly remember her sense of humor and the family stories she told. Now, my *mother* taught me how to crochet and her mother taught her to crochet (and I assume her mother taught her) so that's the closest thing I have.

My father's mother lived 1000 miles away and we weren't super close to her. We saw her every couple of years. From her, again, I mostly have family stories. But I didn't have a chance for her to mentor me at something. I did teach myself to sew and that's something my grandmother did for a living and it sort of indirectly made me feel closer to her because I loved doing something that she loved too.

[Storymama]

My grandmother taught me to sew, embroider, and crochet . . . I don't know for sure, but I'd bet money her grandmothers did those things, as they were all pioneer/farmer stock types.

[Bickery]

I don't know -- I never heard my grandmother say anything about her grandmother.

It's funny that when I think "grandmother" I only think of one of them, my mother's mother. From the other I mostly learned, "worship at the shrine of your baby brother; you're not worthy, being a girl." She even had a song about it. Ugh!

[Annamarie]

well, I'm not sure who she learned it from but I learned to crochet from my grandma...considering the times, I'm sure she learned it from either her mother or grandmother.

[hamamelis]

No- my dad's mom died a month before I was born. Although I do understand she was a prolific knitter, so I imagine that passion is hereditary.

My maternal grandmother lived over 1000 miles away and we only got to see each other once a year.

[threecubs]

Oh, so many things! Cooking, baking, gardening (although I did not pay enough attention and I SO VERY MUCH wish that I had learned more from her before she died), embroidery, a love of reading, faith.

[Jeb]

My mom learned about betting on the horses from her grandmother. Needless to say neither my great grandmother nor my grandmother were the typical granny types :) My great grandmother got a divorce in 1910 and my grandmother was a single mom. Both were huge advocates in the women's rights movements and neither could cook or keep house and had no desire to be married.

[Brenda]

My mom learned about betting on the horses from her grandmother. Needless to say neither my great grandmother nor my grandmother were the typical granny types :) My great grandmother got a divorce in 1910 and my grandmother was a single mom. Both were huge advocates in the women's rights movements and neither could cook or keep house and had no desire to be married.

:rofl: